Back Pay

Definition - What does Back Pay mean?

Back pay, in the context of Social Security, refers to the retroactive disability benefit payments awarded by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to eligible individuals for the months that the SSA took to process their disability claim. These back payments usually cover from the date of the application until disability began being provided. In certain cases, they start even earlier.

Justipedia explains Back Pay

The back pay a claimant is entitled to receive depends on several factors: the type of disability benefit the claimant is eligible to receive, the date of filing the application, the onset of disability, and the time it took the SSA to process the claim. For claimants who are found to be eligible to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), back pay is provided for the months between the date they applied for disability benefits and the date it was approved. Claimants found eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) can receive back pay from the date of onset of their disability to the date when their claim was approved.